Tuesday, December 29, 2020

The SAME but DIFFERENT (Take 2)

Hello dear friends!

As we approach the end of 2020, I find myself with some extra time on my hands so decided to join in a sketch challenge I spotted over on Paper Playful.    I know, I could be cleaning my messy crafting cave, or even getting started on the reorganizing I want to do but NOPE ... I'm taking the day off and just going to 'play around' with whatever makes me happy!  LOL

Anyways ... here's what I've created using the same two papers from 'The Paper Boutique - Lavender Fields' paper pack.  


 The challenge I'm referring to is the sketch challenge over at the

 

 I really do enjoy working with a sketch and don't do it often enough.  Guess I'm going to have to apply for a sketch challenge design team to make myself use sketches more often LOL.


 Inside Sentiment

This was my initial card for the challenge entry but after cutting the plaid coordinating paper for this card I didn't want to just put the remainder of the paper panel in the scrap heap so that's when I decided to do the reverse and make a second card.  

I die cut a couple 'sprigs' using an older Sue Wilson die called 'Maiden Fern' (#CED1433) to mimic the lavender in the paper.  The little gingham bow was laying around so felt it wanted a home on this card.

This second card is just the opposite of Card #1 in design.
I thought I would use this sketch design for two different themes as it's a great design to use for either ... or any theme for that matter.

Inside Sentiment

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Santa was good to you!!

Other challenges to share in:
Digi Choosday Challenge #52 - Anything Goes
Tuesday Morning Sketches #586 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by today!
Please stay safe and healthy!   It's a bit of a crazy world we are
living in right now.  Praying 2021 is better and we can get
back to some normalcy!

As always . . .


Monday, December 28, 2020

Tutti Designs - Garden Trellis Birthday

Hello Friends!

Today I have a fun slimline creation to share for the Tutti Designs Company.  Check out all their fun dies at their store HERE.  Did you know they now carry slimline dies?  Yep ... check 'em out HERE.

 
My choice of dies to use today are a couple of the new Slimline dies and a couple much older (but still fabulous) dies from the past.  Here are links to those dies . . .

#682  Slimline Cross Stitch Rectangles

TUTTI-682 Slimline - Cross Stitched Rectangles

#676 Slimline Trellis 

TUTTI-676 Slimline - Trellis Background

#184  Floral Watering Can

TUTTI-184 Floral Watering Can

#228 Happy

TUTTI-228  Word Set - Happy

#229 Birthday

 TUTTI-229  Word Set - Birthday

 Here's a close up so you can hopefully see that I have die cut the watering can and sentiment from both white and black card stock then glued them together a bit off set to create a shadow.    Though difficult to see, there is also Diamond Stickles added to the flowers in the watering can for a touch of sparkle!

 

 

Please be sure to pop over to the Tutti Designs Store and check out all of the fabulous dies available. Need more inspiration?  The team has something new to share on the Tutti Designs Blog  EVERY DAY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY!  

Pop in often and see for yourself ... what a talented group of designers!!
For your convenience, here are all the Tutti Designs quick links you will need:

Wishing you all an AMAZING day ahead! 
As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!
 
 

 

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Don't ever throw anything away!! LOL

Hello Dear Friends ... Happy Christmas Eve!

I haven't had much to share with you on my blog this week ... busy time as you all know, but I spotted this challenge and just HAD to join in!  You'll see what I mean and what my title is all about.

The challenge I spotted was the Make It Monday Challenge where the theme is

Create your own background - in an inky way!

Here's what I came up with ... 

 

 


 If you know me, you know how much I enjoy making my own background using the Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.  Well the other day I had noticed a paper towel laying over on the table mat I use when using my oxide inks that I had used to clean up the excess ink.  Typically I just toss them in the trash but for some reason that day a light bulb went off and I thought  ...  WOW I could probably use this for a background panel itself.  So smoothed it out and even ran it through my die cutting machine to flatten it even more.  Then though it needed extra 'backing' so glued it to a card stock panel and trimmed around it.  Oh yea, when taking the trash out I spotted another wadded up paper towel in the trash bag so grabbed it and smoothed it out too.  (See photos above)

 Here are the cards I created using these ink clean up, normally tossed paper towel panels ...


I've simply added a couple die cuts and VIOLA ... 
Two birthday cards ready for the sale box.


 Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a SAFE & HAPPY Christmas Eve!

As always ...

Monday, December 21, 2020

Artsystamper Challenge - Winter is Coming

Hello my friends!

It's time for a new challenge over on the Artsystamper Challenge Blog where the team is showcasing digital images designed by Beverly Cole at The Artsystamper Shop!   The 1st and 3rd Monday of each month brings another Artsystamper Challenge and today's theme is:
 
WINTER IS COMING!
 
Just a heads up ... this will be the LAST CHALLENGE at the Artsystamper Challenge Blog.
Bev will still be designing and have her Etsy shop but the challenge will be closing for now.

 
Today, with the help of Microsoft Word10 and Beverly's amazing digital images, I've created this fun and beautiful slimline card for you ... hope you like it!
 

 I have never grown an Amaryllis plant but I used to work next to a gentlemen who every holiday season had one growing in his cubicle and I would watch it develop from a bulb to a beautiful flower such as the one Beverly has drawn for you here in this digital stamp set titled after the name of this beautiful flower . . .  Amaryllis

 
I've also used one of the beautiful designs from Bev's  Christmas Joy paper pack for my background.  I must admit that I modified the color just a bit so this beautiful single stem flower would really be the focus of my card.  I've also created the oval shape through Word10.
 
 To add a touch of dimension & sparkle, I've die cut two snow flake panels using the Sue Wilson 'Festive Collection - Frosty Snowflake Border ... centered each panel across the top & bottom of my card then cut off what hung over the sides.  A touch of Nuvo Glitter Drops 'Golden Sunset' gave me just that little touch of sparkle I was looking for.
 
 Sue Wilson Designs - Festive Collection - Frosty Snowflake Border
 
 
You do NOT have to use Beverly's images (of course we would love to see them if you have them) ... but you must follow the theme to qualify for the prize.  
PRIZE you say . . .

YEP ... The winner of our challenges will receive the stamp set of their choice from TheArtsystamperShop.  Beverly Cole's selections offer stamps and sentiments in each set as well as pre-colored images for easy, last minute cards.  Why not take a moment and check out what she has in the shop!!  And there's more new images/papers coming in the weeks ahead!!


TheArtsystamperShop Etsy
  Artsystamper (YouTube Channel)  
Artsystamper Art Group

Hop on over to the Artsystamper Challenge Blog and enter!
You will also see more inspiring designs from the Artsystamper Addicts DT ... so much fun!!

As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!


Tutti Designs - You Are My Shining Star!

Hello Friends!

Today I have a fun slimline creation to share for the Tutti Designs Company.  Check out all their fun dies at their store HERE.  Did you know they now carry slimline dies?  Yep ... check 'em out HERE.

 

The slimline die used on today's card is #668 Slimline Stars.

TUTTI-668 Slimline - Stars Background 

 I had so much fun creating this card and it was so easy to do using this one main die.  After cutting a scrap of designer paper for my background, I die cut my slimline Stars die from white card stock.    Next I adhered them together then began using scraps of glitter paper to cut out certain stars from the die and 'paper pieced them in place.

 
A  simple sentiment and my card is ready to mail !

 Please be sure to pop over to the Tutti Designs Store and check out all of the fabulous dies available. Need more inspiration?  The team has something new to share on the Tutti Designs Blog  EVERY DAY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY!  

Pop in often and see for yourself ... what a talented group of designers!!
For your convenience, here are all the Tutti Designs quick links you will need:

Wishing you all an AMAZING day ahead! 
As always, thanks SO MUCH for taking the time to stop by!
 
 

 

Sunday, December 20, 2020

The SAME but DIFFERENT

Happy Day my Friends!

Last Sunday I posted  

THIS card I had created for a sketch challenge using a deer image I had found a few years back over on Pinterest.  To fit the sketch I needed to cut down the size/shape of the focus image I used and because I like the entire image so much, today I'm sharing a card I created showing you what the actual full image looks like. 


For my design, as you can see, I've used some of the same basic elements as I used in the first card creation.  A wood panel background, same tag/sentiment and baker's twine.  Hence my blog post title:  The SAME but DIFFERENT!  LOL

It's funny how a crafter's mind works!  LOL
I really didn't have creating this card in mind ... I was actually working on something else but I had printed out a sheet of this deer image in order to duplicate my original card (per request) and since they were laying on my work table and this large circle cut out was also laying there ... VIOLA card idea!!   There was also still the remainder of that left over strip I had used to die cut my tag laying there so 'why not ... right!' LOL  But I did 'switch up' the tag a bit by using ribbon AND bakers twine.

Well, that's it for me today. I'm headed to PA on Tuesday for my hair & pedi appointments and decided to make some fudge deliveries to several friends and family.  So with that being said ... I'd better get to making that fudge and getting the plates arranged.  We already did this for our neighbors and everyone loved it!  We felt badly that we couldn't have our Christmas Party this year so everyone gets peanut butter fudge instead!  LOL

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Please stay safe & healthy!
As always . . .


Saturday, December 19, 2020

A Butterfly Birthday

Hello Friends!

Are you ready for Christmas?  I think I am (well as much as I'm going to be lol).  So today I'm switching away from Christmas cards, tags and such ... to share a fun creation that actually kept me awake the other evening after I had gone to bed for the night.  

Doesn't it figure it's after I finally stop for the day that my brain comes up with this project LOL!


 This card was created for the Color Hues Challenge #8 ...

 I've created my background panel using Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks in blue & green then die cut the Memory Box 'Reverse Butterfly Collage' die (#99145) from white card stock and adhered over top the colorful panel.   I've used a fine tip black marker to create the butterfly antennae and finished it off with Nuvo green and blue crystal drops.


Challenges to share in:

Creative Knockout Challenge #381 - Anything Goes 
As You Like It Challenge - Favorite person to create for (family or friend) and Why
I enjoy creating for both family & friends.  There are certain friends I send cards to who always save them as they know how much time & love I've put into them.  At holiday time I don't make the same card for all ... I make a variety of cards then pick one that fits the person I'm sending to.  This year I sent 100 holiday cards as there are many people I won't get to see in person and I just wanted to let them know we were thinking of them!!
Krafty Chicks Challenge #538 - CAS
Crafty Creations December Challenge - Anything Goes
Creative Moments Challenge #204 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Please stay safe & healthy!

As always . . .


Friday, December 18, 2020

Let It Snow

 Happy Friday!

WOW!  Can you believe it?  A week from today will be Christmas Day!!
Ready or Not, here it comes!!

Today I have a fun card I created for the December challenge for Memory Box
Their theme is:

I have so many beautiful Memory Box dies with trees that it was really difficult to decide which one to use and how to use it on a card!  My possibilities were many!  But I finally decided to use this Memory Box 'Simple Evergreen Frame' as my starting point (#99243).   I have cut a couple scrap panels of white card stock and then torn the top to create my 'snowy' ground cover.  This regal buck is also a Memory Box die from past years called 'Woodland Deer' (#98679).

 


These dies were both from last year and I don't see where they are still available but there are many more that are similar that could be used to recreate this design.  Doesn't it figure ... of all the dies I have in my stash, I would choose two that are no longer available ... Grrrr!    The one Memory Box die I did use and is still available is the Delicate Pine Frame (#94031).  I didn't use the entire die set ... just the birds.

94031 Delicate Pine Frame craft die

After die cutting my frame 'twice', I glued them together and then cut a medium blue card stock panel the same size as my die to use for my background sky.  Using a white gellyroll pen I created the snow.  This beautiful buck had plenty of room for my birds to perch ... that way they didn't have to deal with all the snow on the pine trees!  LOL
 

Challenges to share in:

 Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Christmas Critters
ABC Christmas Challenge - Y for Your Favorite Things (creating scenery cards & using die cuts)
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #214 - Tis the Season
Watercooler Wednesday Challenge - AG

Creative Knockout Challenge #381 - Anything Goes

I hope you've enjoyed what I've had to share today!
Thanks so much for stopping by and have a FABULOUS weekend ahead!

As always . . .



Thursday, December 17, 2020

Time for Tags

Happy Thursday All!

Today I have a TAG to share with you!  I know ... that's something you don't see me make very often  ... right!    Either I don't do a lot of gift giving that requires a tag or I forget to make tags for when I do have a gift to give!  LOL   What can I say?  Must be my age showing!  LOL

Anyways ... over on the Poppystamps Challenge, their theme for December is 'Anything But A Card' so that meant a TAG would be the perfect quick project to create so I could play along.

The dies I've used on my tag are as follows:

Poppystamps - Birch Stitched Frame (#2074)
Poppystamps - Peaceful Bird (#929)
Yvonne Creations - Holly Jolly Music Border (YCD10070) [used only a portion of it]
Sue Wilson - Pierced Tags (#CED4305)

Sue Wilson Designs - Pierced Tags
Hunkydory - Let it Snow (birds)

I do have a gift that this tag will work perfectly on so I'm happy to report that this tag will be loved by someone this holiday season!  I did use Gold and Red Stickles for a touch of sparkle and of course the red satin ribbon at the top.

Challenges to share in:

Festive Friday Challenge #74 - Red, Green, Holly, Ribbon

 The Paper Funday Challenge #24 - AG w/Optional Twist - Christmas/Holiday
QKR Stampede Challenge #410 - AG
Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round December Challenge - Anything But a Card

Thanks for stopping by and hope you're almost ready for the big day!  After all, Christmas Eve is only ONE Week Away!!!   Yikes!!

As always . . .